Those who broke law during political conflict could be pardoned: Prayut

“When they are sentenced to jail, there are regulations involving leniency. This starts[ranges] from remedy to amnesty. This will be further discussed. There must be a mechanism to deal with this,” he said.

He also denied that his government had given anyone preferential treatment, saying offenders should all submit to the judicial process.

Some politicians and protest leaders face criminal charges resulting from the political conflict over the past decade. Many of them have fled the country, including former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. 

Prayut said his government was now in the second stage of its reform project, which includes a strategy for the country for the next 20 years. “The plan must be clearly written on reducing inequality and creating fairness,” he said.

Red-shirt leader Sompong Srakawi, who is now a member of the new Reform Steering Council (RSC), praised Prayut’s plan to grant amnesty to those involved in the political unrest, particularly ordinary protesters. The government should study administrations from the past on granting amnesty, he said.

He declined to comment on the PM’s insistence that those on the run would be excluded from amnesty, other than saying he did not think this was referring to Thaksin.

Seree Suwanpanont, another RSC member, said amnesty should be part of the reconciliation process. However, not all of those who broke the law for political reasons should benefit from amnesty.

“There is a dispute as to whether people who refuse to enter the judicial process should also deserve amnesty,” he said. 

Details on this would need to be further discussed, he said. “The question is not about whether there will be amnesty. We should also consider the information involved,” he said.

The RSC will discuss this matter, he said.

Cases stemming from political disputes might be separated into those involving politicians or protest leaders and those involving ordinary protesters. The latter group might be given clemency or assistance with their cases, he said. 

Thawilwadi Burikul, also an RSC member, said the issue of amnesty was not something for the council to consider. “Personally I think this matter should be the duty of the government. There must be many measures involved, and not just amnesty. Many measures need to be taken,” she said.

In doing its work, the council should also carry on with the key agenda suggested by the now-defunct National Reform Council, she said.

RSC member Witthaya Kaewparadai, formerly a Democrat politician, said the council should focus on national reform or that effort would not succeed. “You have to set priorities. There are many issues that need to be looked at – political reform and social reform. Over the past decade, people worshipped money. The problems need to be addressed. Don’t try to cover all the issues, or you won’t finish anything,” he said.

Sirichai Mai-ngam, another new RSC member, suggested that reform should centre on reducing inequality.

He would also push for systematic reform of the labour sector in order to solve many deep-rooted problems.

He is president of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s labour union and a former leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy.